Princess Ladybug
by cecebeec
Summary: "I want to be able to dance with him, my prince." One girl's wish, her twisted fairy tale, and her quest to be her true love's savior. The only problem; if he doesn't love her, she ceases to exist! With the powers under her alias, Princess Ladybug, watch the ballerina dance to find her beloved's heart pieces before time runs out. Princess Tutu AU
1. Overture

_**To whomever is reading,**_

 _ **Welcome to another Miraculous Fairy Tale adventure! This adventure features dancing, romance, and a classic take on many different stories. I, the author, am glad you took some time to read this tale and explore the different themes. Leave a review if you're curious and favorite and follow if you are interested. My time is up I'm afraid so enjoy.**_

* * *

 _Once upon a time, a man wrote a story._

 _His passion for this story made him write it for his whole life. He put the best details in his story to make it his best written story. It was titled, "The Prince and The Demon"._

 _The story told of a young prince that found a sick animal and nursed it back to health. When the animal was better, it was revealed to be a wicked demon and attacked the young prince. But the prince fought with a pure and honest heart and was able to combat the foul beast. They fought for pages without one of them ever winning._

 _The man who wrote the story died suddenly one day. The two characters were destined to fight forever as it seemed. But the crafty demon found a way to break out of the book, the prince following suit._

 _In order to finally vanquish the demon, the prince used the last of his remaining strength to use his heart to seal the demon away. His heart shattered into thirteen pieces, scattering across the real world. With the demon sealed away, the prince sunk into a deep slumber._

* * *

 _My prince...I wish I could awaken you._

In the middle of the forest, a young girl watched the sleeping prince in wonder. Years had passed since that final battle and the body of the prince was left in the silent glade of the forest. His body was placed with a glass coffin, ivy vines wrapped around tightly as if guarding his very essence. The coffin was laid upon a small island in the middle of a lake, the crystal water a brilliant blue. The young maiden waded in the water, it's cool droplets feeling cool around her legs. She stopped, gazing at awe at the revelation of the prince. Hesitantly, she approached the coffin and gasped in awe.

He was...beautiful.

His hair was as gold as the sun, his skin perfectly crafted by the maker. He wore an elegant ensemble; a long sky blue shirt with sleeves, a elegant white cape, long white pants, and brown fastened boots. His body showed no sign of aging at all. The mark of his royalty was the ring he wore around his right finger. The girl smiled at every part, every feature, gazing longingly at the boy within the coffin. Her smile quickly turned into a frown when she saw his unhappy look.

Oh how she wished that she could break the seal! How she could break the spell cast upon her poor prince!

She traced the outline of the glass coffin, feeling the gold engravings along the edges. She sighed, her fingers brushing against the gigantic seal at the back of the coffin. There was no key, no hole, no way of opening the lock.

The girl sank down to the bottom of the lake, her blue eyes looking towards the heavens. One wish, one desire, one thing she wanted in the whole world was to dance with this mysterious prince she'd found.

 _"Poor child...you wish to dance with the prince?"_

Startled, the girl looked around for any indication of a person. She turned in all directions to find no one there.

"Um...hello? Who are you Monsieur?" Her voice called out, shyness evident.

A delighted chuckle came from all directions. _"Tell me child, do you want to be with the prince?"_

"Yes Monsieur! More than anything, I wish to dance with the prince." She turned back towards the coffin. "I wish to return the smile on his face and watch him laugh. I want him to experience joy and love."

 _"You want him to love you? A small, clumsy, frail, and timid little girl like you?"_

The girl sighed sadly. "I understand he wouldn't give me the time of day. I am not a princess, nor am I a pretty girl to look at. But I would do anything to protect him and make him smile."

A rustling noise was heard in the bushes, making the girl squeak in fright. A horde of white butterflies came out and fluttered in the air around her. One of the butterflies landed on her hands, the wings glittering in the sunlight.

 _"Little girl, I will put your loyalty to the test. If you can retrieve the thirteen heart pieces of the prince, you will certainly get your wish."_

"Really? The prince and I-"

 _"However, I have one condition. You cannot make the prince fall in love with you, but you must have him fall in love with you."_

"Isn't that like the same thing?"

 _"Not exactly, you will not try to get his love and affection, he must fall in love with you willingly!"_

The girl looked at the butterfly as it changed shape and form. With a glowing white light, two red and black spotted earrings appeared in her hand. Smiling, she placed them on her ears and smiled.

"If this is to be the task for me to do, I will willingly do it!"

 _"Very well, your name is to now be Marinette. And now you will be apart of my newest creation my dear!"_

The coffin disappeared along with the forest around her. Marinette gasped as the butterflies surrounded her body, their wings brushing against her. She struggled, trying to break out of the white cocoon to no avail. With a scream, she disappeared in the sinking darkness. The man's chuckling filled her ears as a bell tolled around her.

 _"Marinette, let your story begin."_

* * *

The twittering of birds filled her ears as her eyes slowly opened to the blinding sunlight. She rose up from her berth, rubbing her eyes. She wanted to roll back over, but her body willed her forward instead. Her body finally won however, and she slipped out from under her ragged blanket.

Wait...ragged blanket?

Her eyes opened widely now and she looked around her room. It wasn't even a room at the most. She was sleeping on a mattress full of hay, under a blanket with holes in it. Her room was a attic mostly, full of high beams of wood and floorboards that squeaked. She noticed some tattered curtains that let the sunlight streaked in. Running over to the window, she ripped the curtains apart to see where she was.

It was some sort of campus, a large school ground to be in fact. White dorms lined up on both sides of the campus, each bearing crest of different genders. A golden bell laid within the belfry of the bell tower at the end of the row. The vibrant greens were nicely cut and managed neatly. A silver fountain spewed water quietly.

She stepped away from the window to face the mirror. She cried out in fear at what she blue hair was cut and tidied. Her face was blemished free, her blue eyes were popping out of her face with color. Her nightgown was ratted and dull with color, but it didn't matter. She had a purpose, a mission to fulfill!

Those earrings in her ears glowed, her fingers brushing them. The thoughts of being with her prince slowly came back to her. She wonder if he was here at the academy too.

"Don't worry, my prince! I will save your heart!" She called out the window, the whole school hearing her decree.


	2. Act 1: Scene 1

_**Greetings readers...**_

 _ **What a delight to see so many people enjoying my twist on the story! Fills my heart with happiness to see some get my reference right off the bat. Thank you graciously for all your favorites and follows! Your reviews are helpful too! And don't worry, I believe in happy endings if your wondering. So enjoy reader!**_

* * *

 _My name is Marinette._

 _At least that's the name the strange man gave me. I don't remember much of where I'm from or how I got to go to this amazing academy! All I do know is that my prince is here with me as well. My sweet prince...the man of my dreams! I want to dance with him and bring a smile to his face..._

 _But I cannot tell him that I love him!_

 _The strange man told me to gather the thirteen pieces of his broken heart. I don't know why my prince broke his heart, but what I do know is that I will find a way to fix him! With these strange earrings I had received, I just hope to do such a thing._

* * *

A loud bell resounded in the air, making Marinette gasp in fright. She looked at the clock tower and started to panic.

"I'M GOING TO BE LATE!" She exclaimed, grabbing her school uniform at the side of her bed. "This is not the way this day should've gone at all!"

Marinette quickly slipped on her light pink leotard and slipped on her white tights. She buckled her black shoes and grabbed her pink ballet flats hanging on the wall. Looking in the mirror, she carefully tied her hair up in a neat bun and wrapped a white head-rag around the front. Then, in a hasty manner, slipped and tripped down the stairs of the attic, landing with a loud thud at the bottom of the stairs. She rubbed her nose that was stinging red and opened the door.

"Oh, why didn't you wake me up?!" She cried to the doors directly next to her attic door. "Alya, Rose, you meanies!" With a huff, she ran down the flights of stairs leading to the door.

Both of the doors opened to reveal two more girls. One of them had caramel skin and brown and red hair. She yawned as she slipped on a pair of brown glasses. Her sleep attire consisted of a orange nightgown. The other girl had blonde hair and a kind face. Her attire was a pink nightgown.

"Say isn't it still six o'clock?" Alya said, yawning more.

"Scatterbrained as usual." Rose giggled, her cheeks flushing pink. "She's so cute!"

* * *

Marinette smiled as she ran through the courtyard of the large school. In all her life she'd never would've seen the splendor and beauty of her own school. The flowers, the chirping of birds, and even the splashing of the fish in the koi ponds. It was all breathtaking.

She thought of dancing with her prince in a picturesque setting like this. Her mind drifted as she imagined the scene unfolding in her mind. There she was, wearing a white ballet leotard and puffy tutu. In her hair was a white orchid tied between her ponytails. Her body was pressed against that of her prince's and his arms were wrapped around her waist.

 _Oh my dear, prince, if I could dance a pas de deux with you, even just once...if I got to... I'd give my life for that._ She thought, approaching her dance classroom. Quietly, she opened the door and started to bow.

"Sorry I'm late, it won't happen again." She apologized, waiting for her instructor's feedback. When no reply came, however, she opened her eyes to see the place completely deserted. "Did I come too early again? Oh man, that's the third time this month!"

A clicking sound hit her ears as a sweet melody started to play. Marinette looked towards the music box that had mysteriously opened, playing _Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies._ Her eyes left the box to see the dancer in the middle of the room. Her cheeks turned cherry red when she saw who it was.

It was her prince!

The boy she'd been watching for years was here, alone and vulnerable! she was used to seeing him around all the elite classmates and often would catch slight glimpses of him if she were lucky. But there he was, dancing gracefully in the morning sunlight. His blonde hair shrouded his sorrowful eyes as he did a graceful saute in the air. Marinette gasped in awe as he landed right on his toes, his postion never faltering.

 _His moves are so delicate, and yet his eyes show no emotion._ She thought, sighing aloud. She went to walk to him, missing the loose floorboard. The world seemed to go in slow motion as a yelp escaped her lips. Her figure was falling closer to the floor. She braced herself for impact and closed her eyes abruptly.

The fall never came, the music stopping.

Instead, Marinette found herself landing on something soft. Her nose was filled with a nice lavender scent and plush velvet in her fingers. She slowly opened her eyes to see her prince holding her gently in his arms.

"Are you alright my lady?" He asked her in a smooth voice.

Marinette swore she turned five shades darker and got a bit warm in his arms. "I-I-I-I, I'm sorry I disturbed you...um..."

"Adrien, my name is Adrien Agreste."

 _So that's his name...Prince Adrien._ She thought, still flustered. _His eyes are so beautiful, it's like their drawing me in._

He placed her feet back on the ground. Marinette nodded at him, her face still red in shock.

"You probably think I'm weird for watching you, I wouldn't blame you." She said, turning away in embarrassment.

"I don't think your weird." He replied, his eyes still looking at her.

"Really?" That surprised Marinette. Some of her classmates found her weird for doing certain things. Her clumsiness was one of them. "No one has ever said that about me before." Smiling, she looked at his eyes once more. "Merci Senior Adrien."

The two continued to stare at each other until the door flung right open. A boy similarly looking like Adrien walked in. His face was put in a permanent scowl as his green eyes glared intensely at Marinette, making the girl cower a bit. He wore the school uniform for boys; a white collared shirt, green jacket, white pants, and black shoes.

"Senior Felix!" Marinette exclaimed, a bit upset at his arrival. Felix said nothing, but walked by Marinette to Adrien.

"Didn't I tell you to inform me when you are leaving?" He snapped, taking Adrien's hands in his.

"Yes." Adrien said, his face showing no regret.

"We're leaving, come along."

"I can't..."

"And why not?"

Adrien gestured towards his left foot. "I fell on my ankle."

Felix looked down to see the swollen ankle that was turning a bit purple. He growled and turned towards Marinette.

"Explain this now." He commanded her.

Marinette's eyes flashed with a bit of anger at his words. "Well I tripped on the floorboard and Adrien dived down to save me."

"Useless...Adrien why did you do that pointless thing?"

"Hey! Adrien was saving me from falling on my face!"

"Which is why it was pointless. My brother could do less of saving your clumsy hide and focusing more on his studies and dancing." He was an inch away from her face. "I will say this; stay away from Adrien wench."

With that, he picked up Adrien bridal style and walked out the room, leaving a fuming Marinette. She was stung by his unkind words and she shook with unbridled sorrow.

 _I won't let Senior Felix stop me from seeing my prince. I have a mission to finsih after all!_

* * *

"YOU GOT TO SEE THE AGRESTE BROTHERS?!"  
The rest of the class had gathered in for the day and started to warm up. Alya and Rose gawked at their friend in awe and amusement. Marinette sat on the ground, putting on her ballet shoes.

"Yeah I did, but Senior Felix was a bit of a jerk. He told me to stay way from Adrien." Marinette complained.

"But you got the honor to speak with him. He's one of the brightest students in the academy!" Alya said, adjusting her orange leotard.

"Bright my butt, he's the rudest man I've ever met. My heart belongs to Senior Adrien!"

"Oh, but Marinette, Adrien has Chloe!" Rose reminded her, tying her shoes as well.

It was true though it seemed. Rumors spread around the academy daily, the juiciest gossip being told on a frequent basis. The biggest being Adrien and Chloe's relationship. The queen bee, as she was called, was one of the best dancers in the school. Her reputation sparked like a wildfire as she was the lead dancer of the elite class. Her golden locks and yellow leotard were a popular statement among the intermediate class.

"Poor Marinette, the unluckiest girl in the world." Alya joked, patting her friend's head.

"It's so cute though!" Rose put out, patting her friend's back.

Marinette was about to reply when the door opened as the teacher walked in. The girls scattered into their positions as he took the floor.

"Settle down girls, or you'll be feeding me my favorite cheese again."

Marinette blinked as a black cat in a green shirt and black pants walked in the center of the room. Was her eyes deceiving her or...

"Is our teacher a talking cat?"


	3. Act 1: Scene 2

_**Hello readers, it has been quite a while since we last saw our heroine. Can Marinette truly find love with Prince Adrien and restore his broken heart? Or will she be destined to fail? The reviews are pleasant, the favorites and follows are appreciated. Now on with the story...**_

 **Act 1: Scene 2**

Marinette gawked at the teacher, who apparently was a walking, talking, and glaring black cat. His ears twitched at every infraction, every false step, and he never stopped talking about cheese for some reason.

"Start in first position, now!" He said to her and the rest of the beginners."Relevé! And move your arms to second position."

 _Wow...he's a tough teacher! I don't think my arms have ever hurt this much!_ Marinette thought as she struggled to get into her second position. The rest of her classmates also struggled.

"And now third position, arms en haut. That's it!" Mr Plagg cringed at the way the ballerinas were dancing."DON'T stick your bottoms out!"

Marinette's mind drifted back to the hour before, thinking of her upper classman. She watched, mystified, as Adrien danced that morning. But her mind wandered to his face, his beautiful chiseled face.

 _Senior Adrien. Why did his eyes look so lonely?_

"MISS DUPAIN-CHENG! YOUR BOTTOM IS STICKING OUT!"

Marinette stumbled a bit, catching herself before she took a face full of wood. The rest of the class giggled as Mr. Plagg leaned over her and growled.

"Your mind was somewhere else, wasn't it?" The cat mused, placing a paw under his chin. "If you do not focus, then, you will prepare a cheese platter for me!"

"Yes, sir! I'm sorry!" Marinette bowed furiously, her face getting red with embarrassment.

The teacher shook his head and looked towards the rest of the class, which had composed themselves. "All right! We will now observe a performance by the special class." He gestured towards the door. "Members of the special class, entrez-vous!"

One by one, the special class dancers came out, each of them wearing a black leotard and white stockings. Some of them had buns in their hair, some had braids, and others had let their hair down their backs. Each of them was more elegant than the other, each of them looking as if they came out a fairy tale book. But the one that the class focused on the most stood in front of the group.

"Oh my, it's Chloe!" Marinette whispered to Ayla and Rose. "She's so pretty!"

Indeed Chloe Bourgeois was the queen bee of the group. Her honey gold hair was pulled up in a high ponytail that contrasted with her glowing skin. She wore a yellow, sparkly leotard with a yellow skirt. On her feet, golden slippers shone in the light of the room. All the beginner class students gasped in amazement. The special class began their dance, doing more advanced steps and twirls. Chloe stood in the front, her moves far surpassing that of the others.

"For Senior Adrien... It'd have to be someone like Chloe to make a good match." Marinette said dejectedly.

"Cheer up Marinette! You still have a chance to make Adrien love you!" Rose encouraged, getting a smile from the clumsy girl. "You know you're the cutest girl in the academy!"

"Rose is right Mari, Adrien would have to be blind not to notice the most cutest girl in school." Ayla said, patting her back.

Marinette nodded. "Your right guys! I have to prove that I am the girl right for Adrien!" She pumped her fist. "I still haven't made a proper apology to him for getting him hurt. I have to apologize."

* * *

Marinette stood at the door of the boy's dormitory, shaking like a leaf in the breeze. She looked at the door handle with full interest. Her hand quivered a bit, but stopped before she could touch the handle.

 _I'm not supposed to go into the boy's dormitory, but I'm just going to apologize, so..._ Marinette stopped her hand again. _I have to apologize, so..._ Again her hand stopped inches from the door. _And I can't apologize unless I go inside..._

She slapped her hand from reaching any further and put them both on the door. Then she proceeded to pound her head on the door.

 _Oh! You stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid coward!_

The door swung up abruptly, making her stumble backwards. She shrieked and fell down the three steps, landing on her bottom. Groaning, she looked up to see the usual pissed face of Felix.

"You're in my way wench." He said rudely, making her even more flustered than before.

"Um..." She finally said, brushing the dirt from her skirt. "Is Senior Adrien-?"

"He's not here."

"Yeah, so where-?"

"Go home."

Marinette scowled at his rudeness. "Well is his injury alright?"

"It's not serious." She swore she saw his scowl get darker at every moment she didn't move. If looks could kill, she would be a stain on the asphalt.

Mustering up all the courage she'd been keeping in, she finally breathed out. "I'd like to apologize to him."

"There's no need. Good day to you wench." He closed the door, not before giving her a final glare. "And don't come back."

She stood, flabbergasted at the events that just occurred. "Is he like this to everyone he talks to?" She stuck her tongue out in a childish manner towards the door. "Oh that guy really ticks me off!" Huffing, she walked down towards the girl's dormitory.

* * *

Felix sighed and walked away from the door. That girl was persistent, he'll give her that. He slung the bag he'd been holding over his shoulder and strolled down the empty halls of the building. He disliked anyone who showed affection for his younger brother, especially this wench of a klutz. He'd heard a lot about her from the special class, how she would fall over from the slightest mistake and get upset easily.

 _She's an annoying pest that has a thing for my brother. I will not have her get to him at any cost._

He opened the door to his conjoined bedroom with Adrien. The boy himself was sitting on the edge of the window sil, watching the outside world. His foot was wrapped in gauze and his hands were on a red book. Felix smiled slightly, and sat on the bed closest to the window.

"You know you cause me much trouble Adrien. I keep chasing away the girls that fawn you, I protect you from getting hurt, and you just can't follow my rules." He raked his hands in his silky blonde hair. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Why did you chase that girl away?" He heard him ask softly.

"Miserable brother, I did it to keep you safe. She is nothing, but trouble. She follows you, watches you from afar, and even tried to apologize for the injury _she_ gave you."

"But I like it when she's around, she makes me..." He clutched his chest, his breathing getting faster. Felix leapt from the bed and went over towards him. He held his arms close to his body and leaned into his chest.

"Adrien, you must not let these spasms happen! Every time we see her, or even mention her, you'll just get in more pain!"

Adrien looked down, his breathing back to normal. "Should I stay away from her?"

"For your own safety, and your health, I would recommend it."

* * *

Marinette skipped down the path to the girl's dormitory, the cherry blossom trees raining down on her. She laughed, twirling around in the pink rain.

 _I can't believe I didn't apologize to him._ She sighed, her smile turning into a frown. _I suck..._

 _Those eyes, they always look so lonely._ _There's got to be some kind of reason for it, right._ _Not that I can't do anything about it, but..._ _if there are only some way I could help him._ _If I were able to do something, I'd give my life for that._

Suddenly, she stopped skipping, her face turning blank for a second. The petals had stopped raining, as if someone had stopped time around her. Her eyes lost color for a split second, her earrings being the only splash of color around her. A sinister laughed filled her ears, chilling her to the bone.

"Who's there?" She called out, looking around. "I thought I heard a man's laughter."

She suddenly jumped as a multitude of butterflies started to fly from all directions. They spun around an area close by, forming a tall silhouette of man's body. The gray scenery did little to the imagination as she saw him come closer. He wore a dark purple dress shirt with a black butterfly-shaped lapel, a moth brooch on the center of his collar, and black dress pants. Covering the majority of his face and neck was a silver mask. In his hands was a cane.

"W-W-Who are you?" She asked, inching backwards from the strange man.

 _"_ _You haven't forgotten about me already, have you?"_ He said, a smirk forming on his face.

Marinette looked in all directions, trying to find some way to escape. But to her dismay, all she could see was gray.

"Are you doing all these strange things?" She said, her eyes betraying her fear.

" _Do you want to know? Well, do you honestly now?"_ He pointed his cane at her. " _Little Marinette, the flow of luck runs through you, you know? The time has begun to unleash it all."_

Her earrings started to glow brightly, a red energy surrounding her body. She struggled within it, as her eyes started to glow white. Her screams were drowned by the ladybugs that had started to latch onto her body. She felt something change inside her, making her entire body flash with pain.

 _"Good my little ladybug, now would you be so kind as to..."_

 ** _Tell me a story?_**


	4. Act 1: Scene 3

_**Gather round children and hear the story of music, love, adventure, and suspense. The author thanks you for favoriting, following, and reviewing the tale. For those who are familiar with the story, rest assured some events were changed due to the story being lost in time. Will our main heroine go with the handsome prince or his devilish brother? And what of the other adversary for the prince's heart? Well you must continue to read on and find out yourself.**_

 _ **But it's ultimately up to you to decide who she goes with in the end...**_

* * *

 **Act 1: Scene 3**

Marinette blinked her eyes and shot up abruptly. Her breath was short as she breathed hard and fast. _What was that strange dream I had? Who was that creepy guy?_ She rubbed her arms, trying to rid herself of the feeling of those ladybugs. _And what was with those ladybugs surrounding my body?_

"Oh you're finally awake Marinette." She turned to see Ayla and Rose sitting on either side of her, the trio laying down on the soft grass of the academy. She could see the flowers around them swaying in the breeze, the weeds blowing their seeds in the air. The fountain spewed crystal clear water nearby, the hissing of the mist coming off from the pool.

"What happened? Why am I laying in the middle of the gardens?" She asked, her friends shrugging.

"We saw you snoozing in the flower bush, you had cherry blossoms all over your hair." Rose giggled, giving her a sweet smile. "You looked so cute with the petals on your face."

"We brought you over here and waited for you to wake up." Ayla said, crossing her arms. "You do look cute when you sleep though.

So that was the reason she was sleeping on the plush grass. Marinette blushed and scrambled to her feet. She took a breath and started to walk in the opposite direction.

"And just where are you off to?" Ayla asked her.

"I'm going to go to Senior Adrien's place again and giving him a proper apology!" She shouted back, breaking into a run.

"And if things go well, strike up a friendship?" Rose questioned coyly, causing Marinette to stop mid-run."Was I right?!"

Marinette felt as if she reached the peak of her blush and turned around to face her friends. "No, I hadn't thought that far..."

"No, that's the spirit you have to go with!" Ayla urged her.

"Somehow we'll make sure to find the way to cover you being late!" Rose agreed, waving at her.

"Ah okay! Thanks you guys!" Marinette said and she ran towards the boy dormitory. Rose and Ayla continued to cheer her on as she ran around the corner.

"I wonder if it'll work out?" Rose pondered aloud.

"Oh, it'll be fine!" Ayla assured her, walking back to the classrooms.

"You think?"

Ayla gave her a sly smile. "Because even if she fails, I'll comfort her."

* * *

"I have to do it for real this time!" Marinette told herself as she stood in front of the doorway of the dorm. "No hesitating! No delays!"

A sudden chirping noise caught her ear as she tilted her head upwards. She watched as a mother bird helped her babies out of the nest. Smiling, she watched as two of the birds leapt off the ledge and flew in the air.

"How pretty! The mama must be proud to see her children fly out of the nest so soon." Marinette commented, watching the birds fly. The last bird, however, was a bit afraid to fly out just yet. She watched as he flittered around the ledge, trying to decide to jump or not.

Suddenly, to her horror, Adrien had opened the window to the ledge and exited. She gasped, seeing him in only his nightshirt made her face redden.

"Be careful Adrien!" She called out, but her warning fell to deaf ears. A raven had swooped next to the small bird and cawed irritably at it. Using it's wing, it swiped the bird from the ledge, making it plummet to the ground below. Marinette's eyes widen as Adrien dived from the window ledge and catch the bird in his hands. But now he was falling down towards the asphalt below!

"AH! NO! OH, NO!" Marinette ran towards the fallen boy, furiously trying to catch his fallen form. The world went gray around her as she heard gears turning fast. She froze mid-step and saw the strange man from earlier.

" _Oh dear, the prince is going to die."_ The man mused, twirling his cane.

"The prince?" Marinette looked at Adrien, her eyes full of fear.

" _The hero meets his death."_

"Death!? What do you mean?"

"W _hat's going to happen in this story?_ _Please, you have to tell me what happens next."_ The man looked at her and grin maliciously. _"Is the young prince going to make it? Who in the world is going to save him?"_

Marinette looked crestfallen. "But who?"

 _"Yes I wonder who..."_

"I'll..."

 _"Do you care for him, ladybug?"_

"Yes of course I do!"

 _"Do you want to be of help to the poor young prince?"_

"Yes I do!"

 _"Are you saying that you are going to tell me this story?"_

Marinette nodded, her earrings starting to glow brighter now. The gears around them started to change, little butterflies coming from them instead as the masked man smiled dangerously.

" _Very well."_

Marinette suddenly felt weightlessness, feeling as if she was floating in the air. The butterflies surrounded her as she did, her earrings buzzing on her ears. "That's right! I will save the prince. I will save him!"

" _Do you remember who you are now?"_

"Yes, I do! I am Princess Ladybug!" Energy surrounded her as she began to transform. The butterflies scattered as ladybugs replaced them instead. Red light circled her body, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She closed her eyes as a mask of red with black polka dots adorned her face. She now wore a red ballerina dress with black lining that has a few black tails behind it, light red toe shoes, and a decorative ladybug shaped pendant on her chest. Small, wispy wings popped from her back and her pigtails had red ribbons on them.

"LUCKY CHARM!"

Princess Ladybug spins and red ladybugs appear all around her as they lift her up towards Adrien and catches him. She wrapped her arms protectively around his body, bringing him in close. They both land on the ground, herself floating slightly above him. He opens his palm, revealing the small bird that survived the fall. It spreads its wings as it flew up in the air, the red sparkles shimmering slightly from the dance. She descended from the air, landing in front of his shocked form.

"And to think I was able to save you, Adrien." She said, smiling softly at his stunned form. "It's like a dream."

"How do... you know my name?" Adrien asked, his eyes still looking at her beautiful fiesque. "And you, who are you?"

"I am..." She gasped as the world went gray again, the strange man walking near her once more.

 _"Who indeed..."_ He mocked her, a smirk on his face.

"I-I-I am..."

" _You remember now, Petite Ladybug? You are nothing, but a small bug. An insignificant nobody with no real purpose in the story."_

Princess Ladybug screamed as the butterflies surrounded her again, this time harming her. Her body felt like it was on fire as the world around her turning black.

* * *

"Oooh...my head hurts." A small voice moaned. The sounds of frogs croaking, bugs buzzing, and flapping wings caught her ears. The figure muttered under her breath as it forced itself up. The dripping water cascaded off her face, blinking the muck from her eyes. She looked to her reflection in the pond around her. Then she promptly screamed.

Her hair was longer and coarser, the split ends evident in them. Her skin was pale white, shining from the sun. The ladybug earrings was still on her ears, sparkling from the last bit of magic on them. But she was in the middle of nowhere, dripping wet in a pond...

And she was stark naked.

Covering what little of her dignity she had left, she sighed when she realized who she was truly, where she fit in with the story exactly.

 _So I was a nobody before...a lonely girl that lived in the the desolate swamplands. I was orphaned here, raised in the wild, and probably going to die here. The poor, pathetic, Bridgette Dupain-Cheng._

* * *

 _Well, well, it would seem that our Princess Ladybug is actually a Pauper in disguise. The story has just begun._ The masked man smiled at you, expecting you to know what happens. _What to do now?_

* * *

 **Next Time:**

 **Marinette** : No!  
I'm just a pauper. And I thought I was a princess.

 **Volpina:** Oh my! If it isn't Miss Chloe.  
Adrien is going to accompany me now.

 **Marinette:** Volpina?!

 **Chloe:** Would you dance with me?

 **Marinette:** CCCCChloe! You know I'm really terrible at this!  
So I don't think I'm gonna be any good of you at all!

 **Chloe:** Don't worry. Just follow my directions.

 **Heart Shard** : I am the feeling of bitter disappointment, shattered and forgotten.

 **Marinette:** I really and truly have been able to become Princess Ladybug!

 **HawkMoth:** _All you children who love stories, come gather around._


	5. Act 2: Scene 1

_**Hello readers, did you miss your author?**_

 _ **I am sorry for not updating in such a long time. I have found my inspiration back after watching the newest episodes of season 2. Now that I have found my passion once more, I grace you with a new chapter! For those who are new, enjoy! Those who are old, my dearest apologies for being tardy.**_

 _ **Act 2: Scene 1  
**_

* * *

 _Ah..._

 _A dream?_

 _Where is this?_

 _Why am I here?_

A glistening glade, a pond in the middle of the forest. A girl with wild, unkempt hair was floating in the clear, blue waters of the still lake. Her eyes opened up, welcoming the sun's rays as they touched them.

 _Huh, what is this?_

The girl was fully awake now, leaning up from the waters. She wore now her old rags from when she lived here in the forest, the red dress now ripped and holey. Her hair sprawled down her back as her bangs formed small question marks.

 _Wha... no way, no way!_

Her bangs now formed sharply, showing how surprised she was. She was back in the place where all this mess had begun. Now she looked around to find herself alone, no one to comfort her and tell her things were all right.

 _I was just a peasant..._

 _And I thought I was a princess..._

 _Was saving Adrien just a dream?_

 _Or could it be... that this is the dream?!_

"I can assure Bridgette that this is not a dream." A deep voice said, making Bridgette squeak with fear. She saw in the shadows the man who had given her the ladybug earrings, the man wearing the silver mask.

"Who...are you?" She asked, still nervous.

The man chuckled as he swung his cane. "My name is Hawkmoth. Do you want to save the prince who lost his heart, I wonder..."

Bridgette shook her head. "No, the one I want to save is Adrien..."

"The prince was a hero who fought against akumas, at least in the stories I created, he was."

"In the stories?"

"Yes, the prince came out of the story and lost his heart in order to seal away the akuma. His sacrificed heart shattered into many pieces, scattered and lost." He paused for a moment before finishing. "The only one who can return him to normal is Princess Ladybug."

"Princess Ladybug?" The name sounded familiar to her, like a foreign memory.

"Yes, and if you are prepared, I can turn you back into Marinette."

"Into Marinette? Really? I can meet Adrien again?"

Hawkmoth chuckled at this. "If you're prepared, that is."

Bridgette nodded, her eyes pleading a bit. "I am! If I can become a girl and be my Adrien's side...Then someday... someday I might be able to bring back his smile.." Her heart soared at the thought of returning Adrien's heart back to normal and seeing him return those feelings for her. She imagined the look on his face when she revealed her true feelings. "And if I can do that...I hope for nothing else."

Hawkmoth grinned under his mask as he opened his hand to reveal another white butterfly. It flew towards Bridgette, hitting the earrings she was wearing. With a gasp, she felt herself drift back into a sleepless slumber. The last words she heard was Hawkmoth's gentle voice.

 _"One of the best things about stories is being able to grant the wishes in people's girl turns into Princess Ladybug...Stories are so remember this...when the spots go off, the real you will be shown."_

* * *

The sounds of birds chirping woke the slumbering girl.

Marinette groaned as she placed a hand on her forehead. She had a mild headache, but it would pass. She was in the middle of a river, in which she recognized was close to her school. Her eyes wandered to the small village by the large school, the towns and shops she had visited many times before. She put her fingers in her hair, only to find her ponytails short and cut. Gasping, she looked down in the river she was laying in and saw that she was Marinette again! Silently cheering, she got up out of the river, only to plop right back down with her face red.

She was stark naked in the middle of the river.

Marinette frantically looked around to find somewhere to hide. Her hands reached her ears to find the only article of clothing she had on were the ladybug earrings.

"Ah, this...!" She exclaimed, finding it odd to have these on. "It wasn't a dream..."

The sound of bells tingling interrupted her thoughts as she looked up to see a strange woman looking down at her. The woman had beautiful blue eyes that twinkled in the reflection of the silver bells on her cart. Her hair was a ravishing red, going down in waves. She wore a spotted red and black dress that reminded Marinette of her earrings. A small smile formed on her red lips as she walked down towards the river. She held a hand out for her to grab onto.

"There is happiness for those who accept their fate. There is glory for those who fight against their fate." She said, pulling her out the river.

"Thank you...um..." Marinette stopped talking to allow the woman to speak.

"My name is Tikki. You are Marinette."

"How do you know my name?"

"Even though you've become a princess, you are still much like your wild self." Tikki paused and pursed her lips, making the girl uncomfortable.

"What is it?" Marinette finally asked her.

"You've lost your miraculous glow." She reached into her cart to pull out a uniform from Marinette's school. "Take these."

Marinette thanked the woman as she got dressed. "So who am I really? Was I always Bridgette or was I always Marinette? And did I just appear here or have I always been here to begin with." Now that she was dressed, she started pacing the bridge. "And before that, what I was then...?" She gripped her head in frustration. "Ah... I don't understand at all!"

Tikki laughed at this, causing her to stop pacing. "The story was suddenly born.

Its beginning was a coincidence.

Its ending is inevitable.

An unending story is cruel."

Marinette blinked at this, the words sinking in. What did she mean by this? Was this a sign? Was it fate?

"Ah... I don't understand what you're saying either, Tikki..." She admitted, feeling more confused.

But Tikki just smiled and gathered up her cart. "Let us meet again soon."

Marinette nodded, smiling a bit more now. "Sure!"

With a short nod, the woman walked away, leaving Marinette with even more questions than ever before.


End file.
